CCAC and The Forbes Funds announce partnership to equip and empower nonprofit leaders and organizations in Western Pennsylvania

Educational webinar to be held on June 25 at 2:00 p.m.

PITTSBURGH—The Community College of Allegheny County and The Forbes Funds (TFF) have established a new partnership that will enable nonprofit professionals to participate in credited courses for the purpose of supporting nonprofit leaders and organizations. The Forbes Funds University is designed to open pathways for nonprofit organizations to prepare for challenges that may arise due to shocks to the sector and to invest in the leadership and organizational capacity of their team members, communities, partners and stakeholders. Together, TFF and CCAC are committed to removing barriers to higher education and personal growth.

CCAC President Dr. Quintin Bullock and The Forbes Funds President and CEO Fred Brown will announce the launch of The Forbes Funds University during a Zoom webinar on Thursday, June 25, at 2:00 p.m. (See the details below.) Those encouraged to attend include nonprofit professionals in Allegheny County, local funders and program leads, students and professionals interested in nonprofit careers, education professionals and community-based nonprofit volunteers.

Since 1983, The Forbes Funds has advanced the well-being of our region’s nonprofit sector by helping human services and community development nonprofits build their management, organizational, leadership, and adaptive capacity. The Forbes Funds has supported our region’s nonprofit organizations, big and small, through local, national, and international partnerships, management assistance grants, executive coaching, the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership, and community-based grant making. In 2019, The Forbes Funds recognized a growing need in the sector for professional development as a pathway to greater mobility and equity within the sector.

This partnership between TFF and CCAC values educational equity and access to career mobility. The Forbes Funds acknowledges that to achieve the highest rate of social impact, nonprofit organizations must attract and retain well-qualified and educated employees. Oftentimes, competing with for-profit organizations to attract employees is a difficult task for small-staffed, small-budget nonprofits.

“We know that continuous education increases the overall capacity and effectiveness of an organization by sharpening employees’ necessary skillsets, and with this partnership, TFF and CCAC can now provide access to affordable and timely professional and educational development,” said Fred Brown, President and CEO of The Forbes Funds.

Overseeing the program and the application process will be Dr. Hannah Karolak, The Forbes Funds Director of Learning and Education Programs, and Dr. Andrew Johnson, CCAC’s Executive Director of Community Partnerships & External Affairs.

“CCAC is very pleased to partner with The Forbes Funds to launch this important educational initiative,” said Johnson. “This partnership will be key in helping nonprofits of all sizes to navigate these challenging and unpredictable times.”

The free webinar, “Forbes Funds/CCAC New Program Info Session,” will be held on Thursday, June 25, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EST. To attend, register in advance at zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_a14xfzaFSuG0-GXBYq9c7w.

For more information, contact Dr. Hannah Karolak at hannah@forbesfunds.org or Dr. Andrew Johnson at ajohnson4@ccac.edu.